The Austin Dam Memorial Park is located on 872 North of Austin.
Austin Dam Memorial Park which is a privately maintained site of the
Austin Dam Memorial Association.
On September 30, 1911 the Bayless Pulp and Paper Co. dam broke. The dam was
built in 1909. This was the second worst single dam disaster in Pennsylvania.
For more information visit the Austin Dam Memorial Association web site at
www.austindam.net
There is a lot of History on the "Dam That Could Not Break"
Austin was a booming town, home to nearly 3000 people. Immigrants of varying ethnicities came to "God's Country" to capitalize on the plentiful lumber and work in the area's many mills. In 1909, a dam was built to harness water from Freeman Run to power the Bayless Pulp and Paper Mill, the town’s largest industry. While the many citizens of Austin who worked at the mill were grateful for their jobs, others questioned the stability of the dam, and worried what would happen if it ever broke.
On September 30, 1911, Austin found out. Poor construction, coupled with torrential rain, resulted in the dam's collapse. Over 400 million gallons of water were released, destroying everything in its path for eight miles. At least 78 people perished in the tragedy. News of the flood quickly spread worldwide. It was the second worst flood disaster in Pennsylvania’s history, and sixth worst dam failure in U.S. history. The tragedy sparked new legislation to improve dam safety, and the Austin Dam was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The lessons of the delicate balance between mankind and nature, as well as corporate responsibility, are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago.
This dam broke in 1911 and 2011 marks the 100th year.
There was a remembrance on September 30, 2011 with a celebration of life on October 1st and 2nd.
www.austin2011.com